MAKING GOVERNANCE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE
INTRODUCTION
In 2020, the Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) made a number of interventions on matters of public importance. Issues addressed through our public statements include the precarious state of security, COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic implications, upsurge in cases of rape and sexual violence, ASUU strike and the state of public university system, youths and the EndSARS protests and the implications of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah’s last Christmas homily on national peace. NDD also submitted a memorandum to the Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
One thing that NDD has noticed is that there still exists the business-as-usual attitude which is characterized by lack of proactivity in preventing crises, slow responses to issues when they happen and poor follow up after they might have been contained temporarily.
The following are some of our observations and recommendations on some critical issues that affect politics, governance, development as well as national peace and stability.
INSECURITY
There is no debate about the fact that the state of insecurity in Nigeria has escalated in recent years as Nigerians continue to suffer in the hands of terrorists, kidnappers, bandits, ritualists, cultists, armed robbers and other criminal elements.
One of the recent positive developments in the area of security was the coordinated effort between the Governments of the affected States and federal security agencies that led to the release of the abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. NDD, while commending the Government for this feat, appeals for greater coordination among the agencies of Government to ensure improved security for the citizens.
In the same vein, we implore the Government not to relent in its efforts to secure the release of Leah Sharibu, the only remaining girl from among the abducted students of Dapchi, and the remaining Chibok girls who are still held captive by Boko Haram.
NDD notes that the increased cases of criminal activities across the country have led to a proliferation of security outfits. Many State Governments and local communities have set up security outfits to complement the effort of federal agencies. While the precarious situation demands that all hands must be on deck, the proliferation, without adequate coordination, could be counter-productive in the long run.
NDD, therefore, urges the Federal and State Governments to fashion out a new comprehensive and pragmatic National Homeland Security Strategy that would ensure devolution of more responsibilities to States, strengthen community policing and help achieve greater national security in a well-regulated environment.
Government should also invest more in intelligence gathering, motivation and proper welfare for security personnel and ensure that the equipment needed to properly combat the nation’s multi-faceted security challenges is provided.
COVID-19 AND ITS IMPACTS
Nigeria has witnessed a devastating impact of the second wave of COVID-19, including the death of some high-profile citizens in the past few weeks. NDD is, therefore, alarmed by the plans by educational institutions across the country to resume academic activities without adequate safety measures.
It is discomforting that many Governments have not gone beyond merely issuing statements encouraging schools to observe COVID-19 protocols. In this situation, the hapless students, pupils and staff are literally left to their fate as adequate safety measures are not put in place by the Federal and State Governments. NDD considers this inappropriate as the primary duty of any Government is the security and wellbeing of the citizens.
It is an irony that, while the plan for schools to resume is moving at a high speed, the same Governments are vigorously campaigning against large gatherings. That this is taking place against the background of insecurity across the country makes it all the more indefensible.
What NDD expects is for the Government at all levels to regard COVID-19 as a national emergency which would demand that affected sectors are provided with all the necessary support that they need to cope with the impact of the pandemic. In the minimum, Government should consider providing facilities for virtual classes, deploying health and security personnel to schools to handle emergencies, providing hand sanitisers and masks to students and staff, providing testing facilities for compulsory testing of all students and staff and setting up isolation centres in all Local Governments.
Besides, there should have been a well-coordinated plan by the Federal and State Governments about phased resumption in a way that would prevent overcrowding in the institutions. We commend University of Ilorin and a few other institutions that have properly articulated their phased resumption plans.
The education sector embraces the largest percentage of citizens – from kindergarten to postgraduate classes. It is a sector that is most affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the consequences of poorly regulated resumption plans amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 may be catastrophic.
Beyond the issue of school resumption, COVID-19 throws up many critical issues. We recall that in our press statement issued on March 27, 2020, after the Government imposed a national lockdown, we stated thus:
“A major lesson that this unfolding crisis has taught us is that the nation has not been smart enough to invest in those basic things that matter most when every other thing in life fails. This crisis has exposed the gross inadequacies in the provision of basic social and physical infrastructure in Nigeria. Ill-equipped hospitals, out-of-date public education system, poor power supply, poor and pricy internet access, non-existent social security programme, lack of reliable data about the citizens, among others, provide real challenges as the nation strives to overcome this disease.”
Almost one year after the index case of COVID-19 was recorded in Nigeria, we seem not to have learnt many lessons. The nation is yet to take advantage of the pandemic and its attendant negative effects to radically overhaul the affected sectors, especially, education, health and agriculture, with a view to bringing them in compliance with the “new normal”.
COVID-19 should provide an impetus for an upgrade of the nation’s health facilities. Greater attention needs to be given to primary healthcare. The effort to strengthen the health system should include a massive investment in Primary Health Centres across the country. If a major percentage of annual budgetary allocation to health could be spent in this area, this will reduce the burden on the tertiary health institutions which are to focus and deliver on specialist services.
In addition to this, public awareness on public health should increase, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should be reorganized to meet up with global best practices and changing trends of health care needs and there should be more investment in research and development, alternative medicine and the training and remuneration of medical personnel to discourage brain drain. Nigeria should strive to come out of the pandemic stronger.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND GROWTH
NDD acknowledges and commends the efforts of the Federal Government at improving the state of the economy and the operating environment for businesses, especially with regard to the diversification of the economy, ease of doing business, interventions in a number of critical sectors and investment in physical infrastructure. These notwithstanding, some key aspects of the economy need more attention.
On power, we observe that the current arrangement with the DISCOs and GENCOs is not working to the advantage of the people. It is our recommendation, therefore, that upon expiration of their licences, renewal should not be guaranteed except for those who have met their obligations under the current contract.
We are recommending that the Federal and State Governments should work together to develop a more pragmatic power framework that will make life more comfortable for citizens and their businesses. With advances in power technology, there are already cheaper and more readily available alternative sources of power. Emphasis should now be on renewable energy which is readily available in different parts of the country: water (for hydropower), sun (for solar energy), wind (for wind turbines) and organic wastes (for biogas).
In the short-term, renewable power generation clusters can be established for industrial hubs and small scale industries at subsidised rates. Local Governments or clusters of Local Governments can also be encouraged to work with the private sector to explore the conversion of wastes to biogas for the purposes of power generation and domestic gas usage.
Government at all levels needs to take a more passionate look at the issue of multiple taxations which is a major disincentive for small businesses. Tax issues should be harmonised and made simple to encourage prompt payment and widening of the tax net.
NDD applauds the social investment programme of the Federal Government. However, some challenges need to be fixed. For greater transparency, it is important that Nigerians who are covered by the programme are issued with a national social security number. Except for the recent COVID-19 interventions targeted at MSMEs, the amount of money given to the vulnerable women and traders is grossly inadequate to empower them on a sustainable basis. It is also not enough to give stipends to vulnerable people for feeding. A means can be designed to help them to make some savings and little investment against the future. This will have a multiplier effect on the economy and also empowers them on a sustainable basis.
In the area of agriculture, NDD notes that there have been a number of commendable interventions by the Federal Government. To guarantee food security, Government should do more to provide security to farmers, especially those who are affected in the nation’s food basket zones. There should also be a greater move towards a cooperative farming system that will bring together a number of farmers under a more secure farming environment. The process of acquiring land for agricultural purposes should be made simpler for prospective farmers.
To mitigate the challenge of hunger among Nigerians, in addition to strategic grain reserves, each Local Government should be mandated to establish a food bank that would meet the need of vulnerable citizens at critical moments.
The on-going process of verification of citizens’ National Identification Numbers should be used by the Federal Government to move Nigeria towards the emergence of a unified National Identity system. The multiplicity of the officially recognised identification systems needs to be reviewed and streamlined. The burden that this imposes on Nigerians is unimaginable.
PUBLIC INTEGRITY AND GOVERNANCE REFORM
There is the need for an improved strategy for a more efficient running of the government and a more effective fight against corruption. These twin challenges are inter-related as a clumsy governance system is an enabler for corruption.
The strategy for the anti-corruption campaign needs to be reviewed and strengthened. Relevant laws need to be reviewed, intensive public education and enlightenment as well as promotion of exemplary, honest leadership need to be pursued more fervently, flamboyant lifestyle by public officials should face public opprobrium and corrupt officials should face quick justice under the law. Besides, the deliverables of each of the Ministers and heads of agencies should be available to the public. This gives each of them a SMART target known to all. The National Orientation Agency and similar public institutions have a great role to place in this regard.
In our memorandum to the Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, we amplified our support for the abolition of immunity clause and autonomy for the Local Governments and called for reduction in the number of Ministries and Ministers with a maximum of 3 Ministers representing each geopolitical zone.
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND ELECTORAL INTEGRITY
There is the need for a more transparent and credible leadership selection process that is not susceptible to brazen manipulation and hijack by money bags in political parties. We have an unusual situation whereby a number of the existing political parties operate like businesses either as sole proprietorship or limited liability companies with several owners. One of the ways by which Nigeria can have truly independent and viable political parties is through compulsory financial contribution by party members. Every political party should be jointly owned by all its registered members.
Worried by the proliferation of political parties that participate in national elections, as witnessed during the 2019 general elections, NDD supports the deregistering or delisting of the poorly performing parties. However, we believe that this measure may not be helpful in the long run.
NDD recommends that INEC and the National Assembly should consider categorization of parties. Thus, while some political parties may operate as national parties, others may choose to operate as local or issue-focused parties. There should be certain conditions that should be met before a party can be registered to participate in certain elections. This way, a party that may not have the resources to participate in a national election may do well in local elections. In the same vein, a party that is interested in promoting a narrow yet legitimate agenda would have the opportunity to make an impact. This will also encourage more Nigerians to participate in the political process and engender cooperative attitude among parties as broad-based coalitions of like-minded parties may flourish. What’s more, the financial burden on parties to prosecute major elections will be reduced.
We also observe with dismay, the provisions of the Constitution which put School Certificate as the educational qualification for election into political offices in the country (Sections 131(d), 176(d), 65 (2(a)), 106(c)).
In view of the growing complexities in managing the affairs of any nation in this tech-driven era of globalisation, we consider School Certificate grossly inadequate for anybody to effectively run the offices of the President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor, Member of the National Assembly, Member of the State House of Assembly and Local Government Chairman.
NDD, therefore, proposed to the Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate on the Review of the 1999 Constitution that the minimum educational qualification for election for these positions should be first degree or its equivalent. Thus, Sections 131(d), 176(d), 65 (2(a)), 106(c) of the Constitution need to be amended accordingly.
In addition to this, it is now imperative that every aspirant to any elective political position should have some verifiable work experience and a second address. Political office should no longer be seen as a regular job. It is a public service.
There is concern that the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) are largely redundant, as some of them may not have the chance to conduct any local election in several years. Besides, SIECs are generally perceived to operate as extensions of the State Governments. To improve electoral integrity at the local level, NDD recommends that INEC should have the mandate to conduct all elections in Nigeria. The National Assembly should, therefore, consider an amendment of the Constitution in this regard.
RELIGION, ETHNICITY, PEACE AND NATIONAL STABILITY
The high degree of mutual mistrust among Nigerians and the attendant tension that this generates should be a matter of concern to us all. Cries of marginalization – real and imagined – are rife across the country.
It is sad that Nigerians carry on as if the two main religions – Islam and Christianity – as well as the ethnic groups, especially the major ones, are political parties which are in contest for power.
To a large extent, these issues, rather than good governance and sustainable development, still define our politics. Many Nigerians still care more about having their own people in positions of authority than having the right people who can deliver on the mandate of such offices.
In 2020, three issues generated avoidable religious controversy on the national stage, namely: the new Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, the death of Alhaja Asiyat Oyedepo and Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah’s Christmas homily. While we have seen a rise in ethnic agitation across the country, the protests by youths against police brutality last October brought to the fore the nation’s fragile fabrics.
NDD is worried that much of the Government’s efforts at national peace and stability are ad-hoc and reactionary. We, therefore, call on the Federal Government, especially the National Assembly, to review the inter-ethnic and inter-religious situation in the country and come up with laws that would guarantee Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and rights of citizens in a plural society as ours towards the attainment of greater national peace and stability. While there should be equal opportunity for all citizens, the policy on federal character should be reviewed to recognize the comparative advantage of states and regions.
In order to build a more united and more peaceful nation, NDD believes that a widely diverse country as Nigeria cannot rely solely on partisan politics for sustainable governance. Thus, in our memorandum to the Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, we recommended the conversion of the upper chamber of the National Assembly to a part-time, advisory body that would comprise cultural, religious, professional and civil society leaders. In the alternative, Government may establish a permanent structure that will bring the nation’s cultural, religious, professional and civil society leaders into the governance system. Before now, Government usually remembers these critical stakeholders at moments of crises. This has to change.
We further recommended the following:
- a) Recognition of the six geopolitical Zones as the basis for political balancing in the Constitution;
- b) Equal number of Members of the House of Representatives from each of the States;
- c) Equal number of Ministers from each of the geopolitical Zones; and
- d) Rotation of the office of the President among the six geopolitical Zones.
HOPE FOR REDEMPTION
Two critical issues that topped the list of challenges that Nigerians faced in 2020 were insecurity and COVID-19 pandemic. Even in the midst of so much gloom in the public space, there exists some hope for redemption. This is best exemplified by the patriotic efforts of a number of public officials, many of whom may not be visible enough for appreciation.
Among others, NDD specially salutes the work of the following top public officials as exemplars of hope in a moment of uncertainty, namely: Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
NDD is impressed by the temperate demeanour, simplicity, professionalism, high degree of productivity and non-partisan approach to governance by these leaders in dealing with the mandates of their offices and in handling national challenges as they affect their spheres of authority.
NDD also wishes to recognize the impressive work of three heads of public agencies who showed resilience in the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis to their agencies, namely: Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
CONCLUSION
In our drive to make governance work for the people, NDD shall remain committed to its core objectives of promoting ethical leadership and good governance, advocating for the achievement of sustainable development, promoting democratic governance and electoral integrity and promoting peaceful co-existence among the people of Nigeria and the world.
God bless Nigeria.
Tajudeen Alabede,
National Coordinator
Dr. Abdul-Wasi B. Moshood,
Director of Public Affairs
Explanatory Note:
Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) is a civil society group which promotes ethical leadership and good governance towards making governance work for the people.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +2347086228954, +2348039437612, +2348028975557
Twitter: @Ethical_Lead_NG
